League Testimonies on Specific Bills
League Lobbyists testify frequently at legislative hearings in Dover. Some of the statements we have made in the 152nd Session appear below. Note, we are in the process of updating this section to include the outcome of bills listed below on which we testified. Click on any title to read the entire testimony presented.
FY2025 OMB Budget Hearings (held Nov 2023)
LWVDE testimonies given at the Delaware administrative branch's Office of Management and Budget hearings during budget planning for the following fiscal year:
Office of Management and Budget hearing for the Delaware Department of Agriculture, in support of $10 million funding for Aglands protection November 13, 2023- Statement Before the Office of Management and Budget in the hearing on the FY 2025 Budget Request of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security November 14, 2023
- Office of Management and Budget hearing for DNREC - In Support of Increased Funding for Open Space Protection November 15, 2023
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Insurance Coverage for Pregnancy Termination Statement Before the Office of Management and Budget in the hearing on the FY 2025 Budget Request of the Department of Health and Social Services November 17, 2023
152nd General Assembly (Nov 2022 - Sept 2024)
SB 57 - Add the Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act to the Delaware Code (signed into law by Governor Carney on 6/9/23)
- Provides voters confidence and certainty that the votes they have cast will be voted as they intended in the Electoral College.
- Enacts a clear process for removing an elector who is not faithful to the popular will.
- Prevents the solicitation of faithless electors by entities who wish to change the results of an election.
- Follows a nationally uniform approach to faithful elector voting.
- Text of SB 57
- Permit required to purchase a handgun
- Handgun safety training required
- Public Health Crisis
- Text of SS1 for SB 2
- HB 96 would allow persons 16 & 17 yrs of age to vote
- Bases for support are articulated
- Detailed study conducted by LWV of Maine
- Text of HB 96
- HA1 to HB 96 Amendment
- Tabled in Committee
- Medical aid in dying
- Personal choice
- Supported by a majority of Delawareans
- Text of HB 140
151st General Assembly (Nov 2020 to Nov 2022)
SB 15 - Increasing the Minimum Wage (signed into law by Governor Carney on July 19, 2021)
- LWVDE supports this initiative to increase the minimum wage
- A gradual increase to $15 per hour is a fair approach
- All Delawareans need earnings sufficient to meet their basic needs
- Text of SB 15
SB 17 - Constitutional Right to Privacy of Individuals to Make Reproductive Choices (stricken in Senate 3/16/2021)
- LWVDE opposes this mandate
- This measure would require physicians to perform a medically unnecessary procedure
- Women's right to privacy must be protected
- Text of SB 17
SB 21 - Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (signed into law by Governor Carney on Sept 17, 2021)
- Facilitates the use of EV's
- Leads to a cleaner environment
- Text of SB 21
SB 31 - Constitutional Amendment (approved by both houses; becomes part of DE state constitution)
- Equal rights must be guaranteed for all
- Our Constitution should reflect our core values
- Has been adopted and is now in the Constitution of DE
- Text of SB 31
SB 32 - Code Relating to Discrimination (signed into law by Governor Carney on April 13, 2021)
- Discrimination based on hairstyle must be banned
- Racially-linked and cultural practices must be honored
- Text of SB 32
SB 33 - Renewal Energy: Part One (signed into law by Governor Carney on Feb 10, 2021)
- Increased use of renewable energy is crucial
- Delaware is extremely vulnerable to climate change.
- Text of SB 33
- Renewable energy costs are going down
- The cost of non-renewable energy to our state is severe and multi-faceted
SB 56 - Enhanced funding for public schools (signed into law by Governor Carney on June 30, 2021)
- Equity in public school funding must be the goal
- Meeting the needs of all children through equitable funding benefits everyone in the state.
- Text of SB 56
HB 5 - Manufactured Housing (signed into law by Governor Carney on Sept 150, 2021)
- All affected parties should be authorized to attend meetings explaining rent increases for manufactured housing land.
- Elected officials play a key role in ensuring Delaware's laws protect our citizens and thus need to be allowed to be present at such meetings.
- Text for HB 5
HB 16 - Earned Income Tax Credit (signed into law by Governor Carney on August 10, 2021)
- A refundable EITC promotes work and expands economic security
- A refundable EITC strengthens families
- Text of HB 16
HB - 18 Complete Community Enterprise Districts (signed into law by Gov.Carney on June 3, 2021)
- Ideal lifestyle: walkable communities
- Personal choice of League member
- HB 18 provides important criteria for walkable communities.
- Text of HB 18
- Freeing consumers from domination by manufacturers
- Protecting the environment
- Text of HB 22
HB 26 and 27 - Juvenile Reform (HB 26 enacted without signature)
- Support for prisoner relief from Covid 19
- Risk reduction for prison staff and their families
- Text of HB 37
- LWVDE opposes this mandate
- This measure would require physicians to perform a medically unnecessary procedure
- The right to privacy must be protected
- Text of HB 40
HB 48 - House Health and Human Development Committee (signed into law by Governor Carney on August 10, 2021)
- Support for increasing the supply of primary care providers
- Easing the burden of medical school's cost
- Text of HB 48
HB 86 (Support for Basic Special Education) (signed into law by Governor Carney on July 30, 2021)
- Children in K- through Grade 3 with a need for basic special education are currently not being provided support that could help them reach their full potential.
- Intervention in the early years makes good financial sense.
- Text of HB 86
HB 88 - Youth and Training Wage (signed into law by Governor Carney on Sept 30, 2021)
- Wages should be based on job performance, not age or length on the job.
- Earnings below minimum wage create extreme hardship
- Text of HB 88
HB 125 (Ghost Guns) (signed into law by Governor Carney on Oct 20, 2021)
- Ghost Guns are becoming increasingly available at an alarming rate
- These dangerous weapons must be banned.
- Text of HB 125
- Greatly enhances the well-being of children in high needs elementary schools
- Makes sense financially and logistically.
- Text of HB HB 129
HB 200 - Clean Water for Delaware (signed into law by Governor Carney on July 22, 2021)
- Clean drinking water is a basic human right
- Delaware's water is below standard
- HB 200 is needed to fund efforts to clean our water
- Text of HB 200
FY2023 OMB Budget Hearings (held Nov 2021)
LWVDE testimonies given at the Delaware administrative branch's Office of Management and Budget hearings during budget planning for the following fiscal year.
- Protect our vital agricultural industry
- Provide $10 millon for farmland preservation
JFC Hearings on FY 2022 Budget (held Feb/Mar 2021)
LWVDE testimonies given at the Joint Finance Committee hearings on the Governor's recommended Delaware Fiscal Year 2022 Budget.
-
The Childhood Lead Poisoning Advisory Committee needs adequate staff support
- Additional machines are needed to do lead poisoning testing
- Without adequate funding, Delaware’s children will continue to face the dangers of lead poisoning
- Delaware faces serious pollution of its air and water
- Adequate funding for DNREC is crucial to protect our public health
- Open space is essential to our health
- Preserving open space is money well spent for many reasons
- Farmland preservation is money well spent to enhance our quality of life
- Our agricultural industry adds crucially to Delaware's economy and deserves our support
FY2022 OMB Budget Hearings (held Nov 2020)
LWVDE testimonies given at the Delaware administrative branch's Office of Management and Budget hearings during budget planning for the following fiscal year.
- Protect our air, water, and soil
- Fund DNREC sufficiently to allow it to function proactively
- Open spaces benefit the state's economy as well as the health and well-being of our citizens
- To ensure these benefits, allocate $10 million for open space preservation
- Protect our vulnerable agricultural industry
- Provide $10 million for farmland preservation
